1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt which is worn by pregnant mother's for communicating sounds, such as music and the like, to the unborn child within the mother's womb.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a belt device which is worn by expectant mother's to communicate sounds to the unborn child is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,539 to Henry et al. The belt in Henry et al is worn around the pregnant mother's abdomen and is secured around the mother using VELCRO. The belt is either provided with a pocket for retaining a sound playback device and associated speakers therein, or the speakers are supported by the belt and connected with a remote sound playback device. However, a belt which retains the sound playback device therein is heavy and uncomfortable to wear, limits the playback device which is used to one which is able to fit within the pocket, and the playback device can only be adjusted on the belt after the belt is first removed from the wearer. Additionally, the belt of Henry et al is not designed to support the remote sound playback device thereon, so that the playback device must either be carried by the mother or a separate pack utilized to hold the playback device. The position of the speakers in Henry et al is not adjustable either, so that the belt can not be tailored to different sized women. Further, since a woman's waist size changes during pregnancy, and the waist size of each individual pregnant women varies, the VELCRO and other disclosed attachments of Henry et al do not permit sufficient variation in the belt size to accommodate different waist sizes.
Further related prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,975; U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,865; Des. U.S. Pat. No. 278,761; U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,962; U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,752; U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,464; U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,465; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,267.
While these prior devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new prenatal music belt. The inventive device includes an elongated, elastic belt with a buckle at one end of the belt for readily permitting adjustments to the size of the belt. A pair of pockets are attached by loops to the belt so that the position of the pockets can be adjusted to any position along the belt. The pockets are sized and shaped for retaining earphones from a sound playback device therein, with the earphone being directed towards the mother's abdomen so that sound from the earphones is directed towards the fetus. The sound playback device is attached by a clip to the belt at any position therealong which is comfortable to the wearer. The pockets are closed by VELCRO/hook and loop type fasteners in order retain the earphones therein.
In these respects, the prenatal music belt according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of sharing the soothing effects of music and the like with an unborn child.